Sheanon Williams said, “We obviously have to do the things that we do every game and be safe, but obviously, we have to win. We can’t be taking our time and wasting time the whole game. We absolutely need to win and we know that. The only way for us to even think about playoffs is winning the game. We’ll definitely do our best, I guess trying to gamble safely, which sounds stupid, but we can’t throw all caution to the wind and go down two goals. That’s not going to help us. We need to do it smartly.”

Amobi Okugo compared the Union’s situation to that of Colorado before their MLS Cup winning run in 2010. “I feel like if that was us and we were in that same situation, we would do the same thing. I really think we would totally play to the fullest because with our backs against the wall we always play better.”

Brian Carroll said of missing Saturday’s game after being suspended for yellow card accumulation, “It’ll be gut-wrenching, one not to be able to be involved in the game in any capacity and knowing that we have to win. Really it’s just tough and it’s gut-wrenching, but I think it’s really hard to go through an entire season playing a certain amount of minutes and being involved in midfield, it’s just hard to go through an entire season and not get in yellow-card trouble. It’s just a part of it. It’s an unfortunate time, but I’ll be hanging with the guys in the box and along with my family and doing everything we can to help get the win.”

“I’ve felt great all season. I had a couple of bumps and bruises early on, but that’s just from playing a lot of seasons. I have felt great and the training staff here has done a great job of keeping me ready to play. I have to give them a lot of credit. I also have to credit my teammates, who have welcomed me with open arms. This is a great group of guys, and I think we have improved steadily the whole season…There is a very bright future here with the guys in this locker room.”

One thing that Casey enjoyed was playing with Jack McInerney. “Jack is a great player with so much skill. I felt like we worked really well together and I’m looking forward to the future.” So say we all.

Houston are out of the CONCACAF Champions League after losing 1-0 in Panama to Arabe Unido on Thursday. LA Galaxy had already qualified for the next round before they were thumped 4-0 in El Salvador by Isidro Metapán on Thursday. Metapán’s Nicolás Muñoz scored all four goals — three in a four minute span — before being subbed off in the 80th minute. Former Union forward Chandler Hoffman played 45 second-half minutes but had no attempts on goal.

San Jose, Kansas City, and LA now have quarterfinal matchups against Toluca, Cruz Azul, and Club Tijuana, respectively, three Liga MX sides that also happen to be the top three seeds in the tournament. The quarterfinals are scheduled to begin on March 11, 2014.

US

“The situation with the MLS players with the upcoming offseason is a big topic for us from the National Team side because we need them to keep going at least until the beginning of December. If they’re not going on loan to Europe in January, then they are coming into camp with us. Our priorities are set so that the first one is if you get a chance to go on loan to Europe, do it. Compete there with good players overseas. If not, we have to find a solution for the players that maybe lose in the playoffs to keep going until the first weeks of December and then they have a well-deserved, four-week break until the beginning of January.

“It is very crucial for us that the players understand that everything they do now today has an influence on Brazil 2014 next summer. They can’t take it easy. We wish that all of them can make it to the final and win the MLS Cup, but it’s only going to happen to a few of them. So, everybody who is maybe out earlier needs to have a plan in place to bridge that offseason period.”

Echoing comments made by Toure, Piara Powar, executive director of the Fare Network of anti-discrimination organizations, writes in The Guardian that boycotting the 2018 World Cup in Russia “would be a very powerful response to the racist abuse from CSKA supporters.”

The AP reports, “The Brazil government will investigate whether FIFA’s official accommodation agency was involved in “cartel” practices that may lead to hotel price hikes during the 2014 World Cup.”

You really wanna take a guy who’s played superbly in one position all season and move him to a position he hasn’t played in a year and a half? And disrupt the defense, whose stellar play has been the backbone of the team for the entire second half of the season? Against one of the best teams in the league?

I’m laying out the negative case — I don’t really think it’s so crazy, given that Daniel and Lahoud are injured. But I wouldn’t mind seeing Farfan and Kleberson in central midfield together — the former a little further back, the latter a little higher up. Then we can play Fabinho on the wing, which we may need, especially if LeToux is not quite strong enough for starter’s minutes.

Using the same players, they would be much more likely to lineup as follows:
.
MacMath
Williams – Okugo – Parke – Gaddis
Farfan
Torres – Fabinho
Kleberson
Casey – Mac
.
Now, there’s no chance that we see Torres for 90. And as much as I want to see Okugo back in the midfield, you don’t do it in your last, must-win game of the season.
.
What I expect:
MacMath
Williams – Okugo – Parke – Gaddis
LaHoud (or Daniel or Fernandes, based on health)
Farfan – Fabinho
Kleberson
Casey – Mac